Hosted by musicians and story-tellers from Whinpot Farm.

An evening of tunes, tales and songs from Cumbria, Scandinavia, and beyond. This will be a film of a small acoustic music session in a yurt on Whinpot Farm in the Lake District, featuring members of the Wierdstring Band and BAAB. A great way to celebrate the NRFC on the last evening of the conference!

Hosts:

Andrew ‘Wal’ Walter has looked after some of Cumbria Wildlife Trust’s most beautiful nature reserves for over 20 years. He has also bought and restored a piece of rough grazing in the Lake District, Whinpot Farm, which is now a haven for wildlife and example of sustainable farming practice. Wal plays with a number of bands including festival favourites, the Wierdstring band and BAAB. Wal, Ruth and friends also provide a space for acoustic sessions at various events.

Ruth Dalton is a freelance farming and wildlife consultant, specialising in native breeds of livestock. She persuaded Wal a decade ago that they needed some cattle, and now their Shetland herd is one of the largest in the North of England. The cattle graze conservation sites locally, as do their small flock of native breed sheep. Meat and fleece is sold direct to customers locally. Ruth is a reluctant performer, happiest playing in a yurt session with friends.

Matt Staniek is a zoologist, filmmaker and photographer based in the Lake District National Park. He is passionate about British native wildlife, and when he isn’t crawling around in a lake to capture the perfect shot, he can be found helping out with all sorts of practical tasks at Whinpot Farm.